Where will the next European Capital of Democracy be? Registration starts in March

The initiative aims to promote the best practices that empower citizens to take an active role in shaping their cities

The applications process for cities and citizens for the European Capital of Democracy will open in March 2022. The award wishes to highlight the best local practices of cities to empower citizens in taking an active role in policy. The winning city will be presented in September of 2023. 

Initially, the initiative was launched in Vienna, in 2020, and over the past two years, it has gathered considerable support from across the continent. This includes endorsements from mayors in 15 countries, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France and Slovakia.

Furthermore, the initiative is backed by Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, European Commission and Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe.

The selection process

The past few years have presented many challenges for Europe, with multiple crises exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, cities have been at the forefront in tackling these issues and many of them have opted to increase democratic participation as a major tool in shaping policy.

This includes organising citizens’ consultations, idea labs and implementing a participatory budget – a portion of the municipal budget where citizens can propose projects and vote on their implementation. Such initiatives are what the European Capital of Democracy aims to promote, thanks to a growing community of municipalities sharing their best practices.

In March, cities will have the chance to apply for the title by submitting a portfolio of their best democratic practices and projects ideas. Then, out of all the participants, an expert jury will select three to five projects.

After that, a citizen jury of 10,000 people will vote on who will get the title. Spots on the jury are also available to the general public and applications for them will start in March as well.

What can we expect from the first European Capital of Democracy?

The first European Capital of Democracy will have a year-long programme with events putting citizen participation at their heart. The programme will be dotted with events showcasing the best democratic practices from Europe, where citizens will have the opportunity to play a hands-on role in developing new practices.

The city will also be the host of a range of established events, including the annual Innovation in Politics Awards and the ActNOW International Mayors’ Conference.